Dallas

Dallas Symphony Orchestra is kicking off summer with a European tour

The international tour is the last hurrah for Kim, Noltemy, the orchestra’s President and CEO, as she prepares to become the President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Fabio Luisi conducting
Sylvia Elzafon

Fabio Luisi and the musicians of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra are packing their bags – and their music - as they prepare for the orchestra’s ten-city European tour in June. The orchestra departs May 31 with the tour beginning June 3 and wrapping up June 16.

This is the orchestra’s first international tour since 2013. The orchestra planned an international tour in 2016, but security concerns following a terrorist attack at a Paris nightclub derailed those plans. The departure of former music director Jaap Van Zweden in 2018 delayed tour plans. Once Fabio Luisi was in place as music director, the COVID pandemic further postponed international tours.

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“It’s been a lot,” said Kim Noltemy, the orchestra’s Ross Perot President & CEO.

This tour took nearly three years to plan. The first step is setting dates for the tour.

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“You find a period of time that you can actually go scheduling-wise and then you find when your music director can go scheduling-wise and you put those things together,” Noltemy said.

The orchestra works with a presenter in Europe to determine which concert halls in which European cities are available during that window of time.

“There’s only so many dates in each concert hall for orchestras that are not the home orchestra so making all of that work together is not easy, but we ended up with a great schedule,” Noltemy said. “It’s a bit of a rigorous schedule.”

The orchestra will perform in various cities in Spain, Germany, Austria and Belgium. The itinerary takes into consideration the musicians’ contacts, travel time, cargo requirements and even the UEFA European Championship. One of the orchestra’s concerts in Cologne, Germany begins at 6 p.m. so it will end before a 9 p.m. soccer game. The concert in Hamburg has been sold out for months and the rest of the concerts are nearly sold out.

“It’s exciting. I think we’re going to have a wonderful time and I just can’t wait to see those full halls,” Noltemy said.

Fabio Luisi conducting Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Luisi wants to showcase the orchestra's sound on this tour.

Luisi has selected a wide array of music for the tour.

“Fabio believes strongly in showcasing American music when possible and also new music along with core repertoire,” Noltemy said. “He wants to showcase how great this orchestra sounds. That’s really important.”

The orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and What Keeps Me Awake by former DSO composer-in-residence Angélica Negrón. The orchestra will also present the European premiere of composer-in-residence Sophia Jani’s new work, Flare, in her hometown of Munich, Germany. World-renowned soloists Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin), Thomas Hampson (baritone) and James Ehnes (violin) will be featured throughout the tour.

Deciding which pieces to play at each of the tour stops is something of a jigsaw puzzle.

“It’s not simply what Fabio wants to include because the season that are being created in all the venue have to not have done this music in a subscription series this year. Fabio could have, say, 15 pieces that he wants to play, but 10 of them we can’t do because they are being done by the home orchestra,” Noltemy said.

International tours are important for orchestras like the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. It elevates the orchestra’s brand internationally, gives the orchestra more visibility with sponsors and donors and the orchestra appreciates the attention of international press. Most importantly, the orchestra bonds as friends and develops as an ensemble.

“When you go and you play in different concert halls around the world, you become a better ensemble because you have to listen so carefully because every venue is different,” Noltemy said.

Hopefully, it will not be another decade before the orchestra tours internationally. The Dallas Symphony Chorus is planning a European tour in 2025 and the orchestra is already considering tour options in three or four years.

“Fabio really wants us to go to Asia before we go back to Europe,” Noltemy said.

Kim Noltemy came to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2018
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Kim Noltemy came to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2018.

This European tour will be Noltemy’s last great adventure with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Last week, Noltemy was appointed as the Los Angeles Philharmonic President & Chief Executive Officer and David C. Bohnett CEO Chair. Her 6-year tenure in Dallas ends June 28.

“My time at the Dallas Symphony has been incredible and a truly fulfilling period of my professional life,” said Noltemy. “The board, staff and musicians welcomed me warmly when I arrived, and they have been fantastic partners as we built new programs, expanded our impact on the community and elevated our artistic reputation globally. The move to Los Angeles is bittersweet because I know that there is more work needed to reach the DSO's ultimate goals and ambitions. I am confident in the leadership of our board and management team to continue the great organizational momentum.”

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